Multiple-spindle lathe.



L. M. WAITE.

; MULTIPLE SPINDLE LATHE.

APPLIGATION PILED JAlLfi, 1914. 1,125,779. Patented. Jan. 19, 1915.

2 SHEETS-SHEET l.

Invenfov 4 0.1%- MQM' fa mwbt THE NORRIS PETERS c0 PHDTO-LITHQ. WASHINGI'ON. By C.

L. M. WAITE.

MULTIPLE SPINDLE LATHE.

APPLIGATION FILED 11311.5, 1914.

Patented Jan.19,1'915.

2 SHEBTS-SHEET 2.

TINTTED STATES PATEN T LYMAN 1a. warm, or rrrcnnune, MASSACHUSETTS,

I OFFTQE.

nssrenon TO rrroneuns MACHINE WORKS, OF FITCHJBUBG, MASSAQHUSETTS, A GGR-PQRATION F 1VIAS SACHUSETTS.

Application filed January 5 fixed tool head and thework holding spindles are mounted in a supporting head which is longitudinally movable relative to the fixed tool head. Each spindle is rotatable upon its own axis and the supporting head as a. whole is intermittently turned through a partial revolution to advance the work successively into relation with the dif- Mechanism is also provided head in each of its operative positions.

It is the object of my invention to improve the mechanism for intermittently rotating and locking the supporting head above described while at the same time providing for economy of manufacture and for simplicity and reliability in the operating parts.

With this object in view my invention comprises certain devices, arrangements and combinations of parts which will be hereinfixed tool head 11 and after described and more particularly point- .ed out in the appended claims.

A preferred form of my invention is 7 shown in the drawings in which .Figure 1 is a side elevation of a portion of a multiple spindle lathe with my improved feeding and locking devices applied thereto; Fig. 2 is an end elevation partly in section; and Fig. 3 is a detail view of the'locking device.

The lathe to which I have applied my improvements consists essentially of a frame 10 having integral therewith at one end a. provided with ways 12 upon which the supporting head 13 is longitudinally movable. head comprises a casing 14 within which is rotatably mounted a spindle carrier 15 having secured therein a plurality of hollow spindles 16. At one end these spindles are provided with work holdingchucks 17 and Specification of Letters Patent.

- the pinion 24 reaches The supporting h MULTIPLE-seizures LATHE.

Patented J an. 19, 1915.

, 1914. Serial No. 810,305.

upon their opposite ends they may be furnished with any suitable chuck operating means 18. Each of. these spindles 16 is rotatable upon its own axis, the driving means for producing this rotation constituting no v rotatable in a bearing 22 upon the supporting head 14 and in a bearing 23 fixed to the frame of the lathe. The shaft 21 is extended to the right beyond the bearing 23 for purposes not pertaining to this invention. A second pinion 262 is secured to the counter-shaft 21, the said countenshaft being held in the bearing 22 by a collar 21 and a washer 21 so that the shaft and pinions move longitudinally of the lathe with the head 13. A segment gear 25 is rotatably mounted in a bracket 26 secured to the frame 10-and is so positioned that it will mesh with the pinion 24 when the head 13 occupies its rearmost or retracted position. A link 27 is pivotally connected at its upper end to the segment gear 25.and at its lower end to one arm. of the three-armed lever 28. The

two other arms of the lever 28 are provided upon opposite sides with cam rolls 29 which coiiperatewith a pair of edge cams 80, fixed upon a cam shaft 31'. The cams 30 are so timed with relation to the movement of the supporting head 13 that the segment 25 will occupy the position shown in Fig. 2 when its retracted position. The lever 28 is thereafter moved by the cams 30 to swing the segment'25 upward, giving it a sutlicient angular. movement tocause the spindle carrier 15 to make one quarter of a revolution. The extent of this movement may be varied by the selection of suitable cams and should correspond to the number of spindles mounted in the spindle carrier. It is sometimes found desirable to give the spindles twice the usual angular advance at each stop, stopping each spindle in line with alternate tools. This method of operation may also be accomplished by the use of cams of suitable'dimensions. The cams EEO-thereafter retain the segment 25. in its raised-position until the supporting head is again moved forward'and the-pinion 24 is out of mesh with the segment, when the segment is returned to its lower position by the cams 80.

In order that the spindlecari -iermay be held from rotation during the period when the pinion 24. and the segment are out of mesh a locking device is provided which is shown most clearly in Fig. 3. The carrier .15, is provided with a plurality ofbushings 32 which provide tapered recesses in the carrier. A tapered stud 32 is'formed in the center of each bushing, the taper of the stud being at a less angle than the taper of the bushing. A tapered plunger 33 mounted in a boss 3% projecting from the lower side of the casing ll cooperates with the re cesses in the bushings 3'2 to lock the carrier against rotation. The plunger 33 has centrally located in its upper end a recess corresponding in taper to the stud 32 and closely fitting said stud when the plunger is in looking position. The plunger 33 has adjust-ably secured thereto a double flanged collar 35 adapted to receive a pin 36 between ,its flanges. The pin 36 is mounted in a locking lever pivotally secured at 38 to a bracket 39 depending from the casing 14.

The lever 37 is provided upon each side with a roll l0 each adapted to coiiperate with one of a pair of edge came 41 mounted to rotate with the cam shaft 81, and rigidly secured thereto, The cains cocperate with the rollslQ to move the lever 37 when the head 13 is substantially in retracted position. A

" spring 42 tends constantly to move the plunger 83 to its locking position. The timing o, the cams ii is such that the plunger is withdrawn as the head 13 reaches its retracted position and is advanced as soon as the segment 25 has turned the carrier 15 through its partial rotation. As the lever 37 is positively moved by the cams 41., the tapered plunger 33 is forced into the bushing 32 and will overcome any slight inaccuracies infthe spacing of the carrier, As the plunger nears its final locking position, the slightly tapered recess coacts with the stud 32, assisting the accurate indexing of the head. Reference to the drawings will h w t at h length 0. th $191 is u stantially equal to one-half of the depth of the recess in the bushing 32. As the carrier 15 approaches its final position the outer portion ofthe stud 33 will often strike aga n t th s e f th ecess in e ush ng n a uter d a d i is at t se Points ha t s gr a est ear urs By th ti that the plunger has been, moved into the bushing as far as the end of the stud 13.2 the r tat e movem nt f th Qi1 lil W l be su tan ia ly che ked As th pl e approache it se the Worn and 9f the P imr cea s add th accurate n i n. a t ushing, Wh e the were p rt Qft jbus in coacts with the accurate part of thepli nger.

Thus the accurate or unworn parts of these two elements never come into operative relation to each other and it is under these circumstances that the final indexing action of the recess and stud becomes increasingly important and by their operation the period of accurate indexing by the machine is very materially prolonged. The lever 37 is extended to the right (Fig. '2) to form a handle l3 by which the plunger 83 may be manually withdrawn should occasion arise. l t is essential in the operation of this feeding and locking mechanism that all back lash shouldbe as far as possible eliminated,

p: ticuiarly when the feeding mechanism approaches its final position and in order that the pinion 2a and the segment 25 may be closely in mesh under these conditions, I have provided the segment 25 with adjustableteeth l-l. These teeth are formed upon a sliding block 4&5 which is adjusted radially by a set screw a6 and may be clamped in adjusted position by a screw The usual cros feed =28 is mounted upon the front end of the supporting head 13 but forms no part of my invention.

Having thus described my invention, it i will he evident that many changes andmodifiaitions can be made therein by those slnlled in the art without departing from the spir t and scope thereof as set forth in the claims andl do not wish to be limited to the details herein disclosed, but

What I do claim is 1. A multiple spindle lathe having in combination, a longitudinally movable work supporting head, mechanism for intermittently r-otatin said head including a' pinion and a segment gear, means for intermittently locking said head against rotation, a

' rotating cam shaft and a plurality of cams on said shaft effective to operate said means and said mechanismrespectively, the cam for operating said mechanism having a dwell which permits the segment gear to remain stationary while the pinion is moved into mesh therewith.

2. A multiple spindle lathe having in combination, a longitudinally movable head, a plurality of work holding devices rotatable in said head, means to lock the head in any one of a plurality of operative positions, mechanism to intermittently rotate the head including a pinion and a'segment gear meshing therewith when the head is in its rear position only, a continuously rotating cam shaft, and cams on said shaft for ble in said head and mechanism for intermittently rotating said head, said mechanism including a segment gear and means for positively actuating said segment gear in two directions.

4:. A multiple spindle lathe having in combination, a longitudinally movable head, a plurality of work holding devices rotatable in said head and mechanism for intermittently rotating said head comprising a gear on the head, a counter-shaft mounted on the head and longitudinally movable with the head, a pinion on the counter-shaft meshing with said gear, a second pinion on the countershaft, a segment gear mounted on the lathe frame with which said second pinion meshes when the head is in retracted position only, and cam-operated means for intermittently moving said segment gear.

5. A multiple spindle lathe having in combination, a longitudinally movable work supporting head and means for intermittently rotating said head comprising a pin ion on the head, a segment gear, a link connected at one end to said gear, a three-armed lever having one arm connected to the lower end of the link and having cam rolls upon the remaining two arms, a rotating cam shaft, and a pair of cams on said shaft 00- operating with said rolls to intermittently rotate the head.

6. A multiple spindle lathe having in com bination, a longitudinally movable work supporting head and means for intermittently, partially rotating said head, said Copies of this patent may be obtained for means comprising a segment gear having certain of its teeth radially adjustable to compensate for back lash in the teeth or bearings.

7. A multiple spindle lathe having in combination an intermittently rotatable head, a plurality of work holding devices rotatable in said head, and means to lock the head in any one of a plurality of operative positions, said means comprising a series of tapered bushings in said head, each bushing having a tapered stud therein, and a tapered locking plunger fitting said bushing and having a recess therein fitting said stud.

8. A multiple spindle lathe having in combination an intermittently rotatable head, a plurality of work holding devices rotatable in said head, and means to lock the head in any one of a plurality of operative positions, said means comprising a series of tapered bushings in said head, each bushing having a tapered stud therein, and a ta pered locking plunger fitting said bushing and having a recess therein'fitting said stud, the taper of the stud and recess being formed at a less angle than the taper of the plunger and bushing.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand, in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

LYMAN M. WAITE.

Witnesses:

CHAS. T. HAWLEY, O FORREST l/Vnssoiv.

five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. O. 

